Boiler-tube-cleaning device



1. ROSS.

BOILER TUBE CLEANING DEVICE.

APPLlcAnoN mEuocLz, 1919.

Patented Aug. 23, v1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

JE. Z

' 7 f6 Il 7 o o A/' 5/ I 1. Ross. y BOIILEI-I TUBE CLEANING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-2.1919.

l 1,388,309. PatendAug. 23,1921,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

:EVEICLF James Ross UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES ROSS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. Y

BOILER-TUBE-CLEANIN'G DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patlltcd Allg'. 23, 1921.

Application filed October 2, 1919. Serial No. 327,969.

' that theV following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to devices for cleaning tubes, more particularly scale incrusted tubes from fire tube boilers.

When hard water is employed the limek and magnesia salts deposit on the tubes in the form of a hard rock-like scale which greatly reduces the efficiency of the boilers and is a frequent cause of boiler explosions.

Heretofore this scale has been chipped off by hand, which is not only laborious and expensive, but frequently results in injury to the tubes.

It is an object, therefore, of the present invention to provide a device for cleaning the tubes mechanically.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a cutter adapted not only to remove the scale, but also simultaneously to feed the pipe through the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for readily adapting pipe cutting machines for use as scale removing devices.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparent from the dis'- closures in the drawings and specification.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pipe cleaning device embodying the features of the present invention. v

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the cutters showing their arrangement relatively to each other and t0 .the pipe,

5 is an edge view of the upper cutter.

Fig. 6 is a side view of one part of the upper cutter on an enlarged scale.

As shown in the drawings The machine illustrated is a pipe cutting machine having scale critters l, 2, 2, substituted for the pipe cutter and the two supporting rolls.

These cutters 1, 2, 2, are provided with teeth preferably formed by cutting a substantially square thread around their periphery and then intersecting these threads with substantially rectangular grooves 3.

So formed the cuttersas they rotate simul-v taneously remove the scale and feed the pipe forward through the machine.

The machine comprises a base 4, adapted to be secured to a Hoor or platform 5. From this base a frame 6 extends upwardly for the support of the upper-cutter 1, and the mechanism for driving` it. The lower cutters 2 are freely journaled in a bearing block 7 mcuntedon the base 4. The pipe 25 may conveniently be supported -at each side of the machine by arcuate supports 26 on the floor or platform 5.

The machine is driven by a shaft 8 jour-V naled in the frame 6 and provided with fast and loose pulleysl 9'and 10. Journaled on this shaft 8 intermediate the side members of the frame 6 is a second frame 17, in the outer end of which is rotatably mounted ther shaft 11, which carries the cutter 1. This shaft 11 is driven from the main driving shaft 8 through the train of gears 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16.

yThe frame 17 is adiusted in position an'j:

gularly to raise and lower the cutter 1, by means of a handwheel 18 mounted at the top of a screw 19 passing through a nut 2O provided with trunnions 21. These trunnions and the screw 19 to swing in a plane transverse to the shaft 8. VThe lower end of the l method of mounting the ySCIQW 19 and conare j ournaled in the frame 6 to allow the nut necting it to the frame 17 allows it to adjust its angular4 position as the frame 17 is turned thereby about the shaft 8.

The operation is as follows:

The cutter l is adjusted so that there is just room for the cleaned pipe to pass between the three cutters. One end of the pipe is then slid along the support 26 until it rests on the lower cutters 2 after which it is forced under the rotating upper cutter. The cutter l causes the pipe to rotate and the rotation of the latter in turn produces rotation of the cutters 2. Jill three cutters now act to remove the scale from the pipe and simultaneously move the pipe through the machine.

If the deposit of scale is very thick it may be removed in two or more successive operations by suitably adjusting the upper cut'- ter l.

I am aware that many changes may be made, and numerous details of construction may bevaried through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I ,therefore do not purpose limiting `the patent granted. hereon, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

IV claim as my invention:

1. A pipe cleaning machine comprising means for supporting a pipe and a rotary cutter having teeth arranged spirally therey around whereby rotation of the cutter simultaneously removes the scale and traverses the pipeover the supporting means.

2. A pipe cleaning machine comprising three rotary cutters arranged to engage a pipe therebetween, each of said, cutters having teeth arranged spirally therearound whereby rotation of the cutter simultaneously removes the scale and traverses the pipe over the supporting means. i

3. In a pipe cleaning machine, a pivoted yoke, a shaft'carried thereby, a power shaft,

navtraiu of gears from said power shaft to said yoke carried shaft, said train including a gear eo-axial' with the pivot of said yoke, andy a gear meshing therewith and carried by said yoke, a pipe cleaning tool on said yoke carried shaft and. cooperating pipe cleaning tools mounted independently of said yoke whereby motion of the yoke about rits pivot will change the distance between the pipe cleaning tool carried thereby and the eoperating pipe cleaning tools.

4t. In a pipe cleaning machine, a pivoted yoke, a shaft carried thereby, a power shaft, a train of gears from said power shaft to said yoke carried shaft, said train including a gear eo-axial with the pivot of said yoke and a gear meshing therewith and carried by said yoke, a pipe cleaning tool on said yoke carried shaft and other pipe contacting members mounted independently of said yoke whereby motion of the yoke about its pivot will cause the machine 'to accommodate different Vsizes of pipe. y

In a pipe cleaning machine, a pivoted yoke, a shaft carried thereby, a power shaft, a train of gears from said power shaft to said yoke carried shaft, said train including a gear co-aXial with the pivot of said yoke, and a gear meshing therewith and carried by said yoke, a pipe cleaning tool on ,said yoke carried shaft and cooperatingY pipe cleaning tools mountedv independently of said yoke whereby motion of the yoke about its pivot will change the distance between the pipe cleaning tool carried lthereby and the coperating pipe cleaning tools, and manually operated means for moving the yoke about its pivot.

6. InY a pipe cleaning machine, a pivoted yoke, a pipe cleaning tool carried' thereby, a screw for moving the yoke about its pivot, a means on the yoke for communicatingmotion from the screw to the yoke, and a means mounted independently of the yoke for 'supporting the screw, each of said means being pivoted and one of them being threaded.

7. ln a pipe cleaning machine, a frame, a yoke pivoted in said frame, a pipecleaning tool carried by said yoke, 'a screw,pmeans pivoted onA the yoke for communicating'motion from the screw to theyoke, means pivoted on the frame for supporting/the screw, one of said means having threads ,to coperatie with said screw whereby rotation of the screw will cause the yoke to move about its pivot,Y a portion of the frame being cut away to provide for lateral motion of the screw. i Y,

ln testimony whereof I have hereunto sub'- scribed my name in the presence of twovsubscribingwitnesses. JAMES. ROSS. litnessesr RmspiiLn ELLis,

Finn) E. PiinsLnn. 

